Why Do Health Care Disparities Exist?

 A Friend of Mine by the name of Carolina Bogaert referred me too nriAHEC  Spring 2010 I started doing research on many organizations to see where I would most fit  After surfing through nriAHEC website I decide to spend my entire summer at nriAHEC

 “Moise be creative and choose your own project.” Ms. Yvette M. Mendez  On my first day, I came up with minority health then I decided to expand my research on making the comparisons between the majority population and the minority population  I did research on many websites that deal with health inequities including the Rhode Island Department of Health website  Late June I started shadowing Carrie Bridges who is the chief of minority health staff at the Rhode Island Department of Health  I watched the film “Unnatural Causes” just to have a better glimpse on the reality of health inequities

 I have always wondered why can’t we have equal access to health care in the first industrialized country of the world  From my research I have noticed that the battle to eliminate health disparities is enormously challenging and very complex  Since nriAHEC is working toward defeating that challenge I said to myself, it will be worth it if I spend this entire summer into looking at what prevents the United States to have equal access to care and what is being done to eradicate or at least lower the percentage of health inequities as low as possible

 The standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) are defined as the means to rectify inequities that currently exist in the provision of health services and to make these services more accessible to the individual needs of all patients or consumers.  The overall goal of CLAS is especially aimed at addressing the needs of racial, ethnic, and linguistic population groups that experience unequal access to health services.

 nriAHEC has played a major role in my education thus far, as I will definitely carry on what I have learned here in my professional life.  nriAHEC did not affect my career goal as I already had a career interest; however, this internship has inspired me to be an advocate for those who have no voice.  Many people in the working class spend numerous hours to provide for their family, if they get sick it is our obligation as a nation to give them equal treatment  Many immigrants leave their native country to come to the United States for a better life. When they come here they should not have to worry about disease that could potentially end their lives

Contact Information: Moise Bourdeau (401)